Synch

by sunnypack

74 - It's About Time... Again

Luna and Twilight were poring over the time travel problem, giving the problem their fullest attentions. I found it endearing to watch them struggle with something completely unrelated to their universe, I think they were doing it just because I was their friend. It made me feel good. I made me feel like I was a part of a tight knit group. I felt like I finally belonged somewhere.

I think this moment would be the moment I finally realised I was no longer a drifter. I wasn’t an observer or someone who kept their distance anymore. I was a person who was more deeply ingrained with the throes and passions that came with being a part of a community. Thank the stars I wasn’t actively dealing with relationships and I just had friends, I’ve heard of the nightmares people got from giving or taking advice from that direction. No thanks. Being a friend is quite enough. Also shippers *shudder*, I’ll never get used to those crazy people on the extranet fringes.

Celestia had some chores to do and by chores I meant having a whole nation to run, so I wasn’t surprised that she wasn’t able to make it. Twilight made the trip all the way from Ponyville but apologised when she revealed Pinkie couldn’t make it. I believe her exact words via Twilight were:

“I’m really super duper sorry I can’t make it, but the next time we meet on an adventure you can have a hug and a cupcake!”

I smiled at that. I think I’ll hold that mare to that promise. The time travel problem was ridiculous, there’s a reason that even the greatest unicorn of their time, Star Swirl the Bearded, couldn’t find a solution to stabilise time travel without creating paradoxes. The spell even prevents paradoxes automatically somehow by sending you back to the present as soon as you started violating the causality of the past.

When Twilight found out about this she looked a little annoyed.

“So that’s why I couldn’t warn myself!” she fumed to herself. I think it had to do with the small incident she had with time travelling before.

Even though I was dying to try time travel out, since magic didn’t affect me, there wasn’t any way for me to travel. Time travelling was a science fiction lover’s dream and it was permanently out of reach because of stupid magic. Oh well, I still had a past-altering messaging device.

I could send messages, possibly any data, maybe release a knot over the extranet.

Wait.

I realised what had been bugging me about the dates that my Synch had been labelling to and from the past extranet. They were labelled the same way as the Synchrony knots.

Those bas-, I bit back a swear word, this was one of the closest times I’ve ever felt angry enough to swear.

Twilight and Luna noticed my agitation.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked from across the table. I took a deep breath and started rubbing my temples to ease the sudden pain that graced my head.

“The necromancers. They are the ones responsible for Synchrony”, I explained, slamming a fist down on the table. The action made Twilight flinch and I apologised, it made me feel guilty for scaring her like that.

“Synchrony and the data I’ve been sending to the extranet have all been dated at exactly one year before Synch had ever been released. Tied to the fact that this Synch had been in the possession of the necromancers and their hideout seems to point out that they were responsible for Synchrony”, I reasoned, putting my thoughts out.

“It could be a coincidence”, Twilight countered uncertainly.

Luna fixed me with a stare that unnerved me somewhat.

“Continue”, she stated simply.

“Right, so coupled with the fact that Synchrony appears with the same date and I’ve been here what? A few months, I’ve come to the conclusion that there isn’t much time dilation between this universe or time stream than to mine. It seems consistent with the fact that the creator of Synchrony couldn’t be tracked and when we tried- “ I stopped, feeling a pulsing headache “ -when I tried, the connection was sent back towards this world and established a connection… pulling me through.”

“How is that possible?” Twilight queried, unable to comprehend what I was trying to piece together.

“I’ve heard from Celestia- “ I ignored the indignant look from Twilight for my casual use of her name “ -that a spell was originally explored by Star Swirl the Bearded on obtaining a null being from another universe”, I continued, tapping a finger on my chin in thought.

Twilight nodded, “But that spell couldn’t be used because…”

She gasped, finally understanding.

“But that would be perfect for necromancers!” she exclaimed, with a horrified look.

I nodded glumly.

Luna looked oddly disturbed and righteously furious at the same time.

“If they had not already been granted some form of clemency by my sister, I would trot down there and execute them myself for their heinous crimes. I had known they had used some form of souls but I never knew that they came from your world”, Luna growled, a stomp of her hoof sending cracks into the stone floor.

I shook my head sadly, feeling the weight of weariness.

“What is done, is done. We cannot walk forwards with our heads turned to the past. We need to think of a solution for these souls”, I posed, looking at Twilight and Luna expectantly.

Luna and Twilight shook their head.

“While I cannot profess full knowledge of this ancient and dark art, I know enough that once a soul has been liberated and bound to new body or to exchange payment for the old soul, that soul is lost after a brief period of time. It is even worse if it is consumed as energy, as some of the necromancers had told us, the soul is lost forever with not even that brief time period to reverse it. I’m sorry, there’s no way to save those lives that this ‘Synchrony’ has touched”, Luna told me, giving me an apologetic glance.

I sagged my shoulders in defeat.

“I- “ I started, but I couldn’t form any words.

Silently, Luna gathered me up with wing, comforting me. I glanced appreciatively in her direction and gave her a small hug. I missed the small blush on her cheeks when I kissed her there.

“Thanks Luna, for being here for me”, I looked at Twilight standing awkwardly on the side. I beckoned her over with a wave. I hugged her tight in a three person-pony bundle for a while before breaking apart.

So, I thought to myself sadly. What now?

I glanced at my Synch, gleaming dully on the table. The inner ring engraving caught my eye.

Huh, I guess it’s time to live up to my name.

Author's Note:

What's the time? Time to get a watch! I love saying that to my friends back in high school. I used to think I was the wittiest person on the planet for doing so. The rest of my friends gave me that long-suffering look that I took as an invitation to repeat it, until I got punched in the arm or something.

I was always fascinated by the concept of time. How it is measured, how it isn't constant, what? How it defines so much of our lives without us even giving it a second thought. But time is important and I grew a passion for it when I delved into first year philosophy, it was a cool program where we went on philosophy camp (yeah, no kidding) and we talked about ideas and themes of the philosophical debates as old as the subject itself.

Good times.

Where was I?

Oh yeah Author's Notes.

Updates will be speeding up again now that I published my short work so I only have one other story I will probably be working on. It'll probably be another HiE cause I love this genre.

Next Chapter: A sugary mass was detected at the edge of Canterlot, the sweetness is too dense for even Shining's manly pink barrier to defend against! How will Canterlot survive this sugary treat invasion? Find out next on Synch.

As always, my super powerful extraterrestrial existential mostly-harmless readers, thanks for reading!

Comments

[sunnypack]

4928002 Yes indeed, I think I hinted that early on. *Spoilers* *not really*

[RainbowDragon]

It'll probably be another HiE

Yeah we both know what it is XD

On another note looking forward to the next chapter

[sunnypack]

4922151 Actually it was completely pointless, I just wanted Blueblood to be a little less 2D. Although I might have him visit from time to time. Speaking of side characters Solid, Lightning and Hardy haven't been getting much action (understandable given circumstances) but Gruff will definitely play a bigger role later.